Support for rolled goods



Jan. 10, 1933. H. ELLlOTT 1,894,165

SUPPORT FOR ROLLED GOODS Filed May 31, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l Y Q N N f is x N x x x w w a A v Ewezafir;

Jan. 10, 1933. H. ELLIOTT 1,894,166

SUPPORT FOR ROLLED GOODS Filed May 51, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 10, 1933. H. ELLIOTT 1,894,156

' SUPPORT FOR ROLLED GOODS Filed May 31, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 10, 1933. H. ELLIOTT SUPPORT FOR ROLLED GOODS Filed May 31, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 10, 1933 Parana orrrce HENRY ELLIOTT, 0F HILLHEAD, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND SUPPORT FOR ROLLED GOODS Application filed May 31, 1930, Serial No. 458,392, and in Great Britain June 4, 1929.

This invention has reference to machines for handling, holding, displaying or storing linoleum, carpets and other rolled goods.

My invention has for its object to provide a machine for such purpose which will have greater capacity than. such machines of the same over all dimensions as heretofore constructed.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine of more simple and cheap construction than machines of known type.

A further object of my invention is to provide a machine for the purpose set forth which can be operated by a motor, and which, should the source of supply fail, can be operated manually.

A still further object of my invention is to provide the machine with an improved control device, and a still further object is to provide improved means for securing the rolled goods to the machine.

According to my invention the improved machine comprises two endless parallel chains orthelike, hereafter referred to aschains, an upper and a lower pair of sprocket wheels, pulleys or the like, hereafter referred to as sprocket wheels, each of said endless chains passing over an upper sprocket wheel and under the lower corresponding sprocket wheel, a series of horizontally extending transverse shafts supported at the two ends thereof by the two chains, means to secure an inner coil of a roll to the shaft, means to prevent rotation of a shaft under the action of a partly unrolled roll mounted thereon, and any suitable gearing to drive the chains with shafts carried thereby.

The arrangement and construction is such that rolls of linoleum, carpets and other i rolled goods can be mounted on the said horizontal shafts, thereby forming two series of parallel superimposed horizontally extending rolls and by operating the gearing any selected roll can bebrought to a position where it can be unrolled conveniently and inspected.

hen: used to handle, store, and display carpets or like goods, the shafts may be permanently mounted in their bearings and the carpets or the like coiled or wound thereon. In such case the inner end of the carpet or the like may be secured to the shaft by means of a number of pin like projections carried by the shaft and inserted into the end of the carpet or the like. In place of the pin like projections being secured to the shafts they may be carried by a-length of canvas or the like which in turn is secured by any suitable means to the shafts.

In handling, displaying and storing certain rolled goods such as rolls of linoleum it is preferable that the shafts be first inserted in the bore of the rolls and the shafts together with the rolls fitted into the bearings.

In such case I may provide said chains with a series of bearingsspaced apart at intervals along the length of the chains, each of said bearings being formed in sections with one of the sections hinged or pivoted and provided with an extension or arm having a hooked extremity and a rearward or downward extension.

When it is desired to raise a roll with shaft extending therethrough the roll is brought into position at the foot, of the machine, the gearing operated to bring a pair of empty bearings to the bottom and the hinged or pivoted sections thereof released so that the extensions or arms pass below the ends of the shaft. When the said bearings commence their upward movement the hooked extremities catch the ends of the shafts and thereafter said forward extensions are tilted so that the shafts roll into their bearings, such tilting movement being effected by the rear or downward extensions contacting with the chain or sprocket wheels.

lily invention further consists in incorporating in the transmission gear by which the said wheels are rotated an automatically acting control device which eration if the load should take charge but which is automatically released when the machine is operated under the control of the op erator.

My invention further consists in introducing in combinationwith the control device a release mechanism to ensure the quick action thereof when the load commences to take charge.

In order that my invention will be properly comes into opunderstood I have hereunto appended four ex lanatory sheets of drawings whereon:

igure 1 is a front elevation of one construction of machine according to my inven- 4; tion, and Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Figure 3 illustrates one end of one of the shafts showing particularly the means for securing same in position and also the means of coupling same to a driving member.

Figure 4 illustrates in section the other end of the shaft.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the automatic control device and automatic brake release mechanism.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6 6, Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of said control device and brake release mechanism.

Figures 8 and 9 are sections on the line 88,

and 9--9 respectively, Figure 5. 7 Figures 10 and 11 are front and side elevations respectively of a pair of links of one of the chains showing the end of one of the transverse shafts carried thereby and a pawl co-operating therewith.

Figure 12 is a section through one of the shafts showing a spiked clip carried thereby to secure the end of the carpet or the like to the shaft. 30 Figure 13 is a perspective view of a part of one of the shafts and spiked clip carried thereby.

Figure 14 illustrates a perspective view of a part of a shaft with alternative means for securing a carpet or a plurality of pieces of carpet or the like to the shaft.

Figure 15 is a section through a hollow shaft with further alternative means for securing a roll thereon.

Figure 16 is a section on the line 16-16 Fi are 15.

igure 17 is an elevation of a bearing formed in sections to receive a shaftwith roll wound thereon.

Figu

re 18 is an end elevation of Figure 17. Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2. The machine illustrated comprises two upright standards or supports a a and interconnecting cross members I) b the whole being conveniently formed of angle iron.

A third upright standard a which may also be angle iron, and to which is connected the cross members b b,'is located near the upright support a.

Supported in bearings near the upper end of the three supports a, a and a is a transverse shaft d on which are keyed the two sprocket wheels (1 and d Supported in bearings near the foot of the uprights a and. a is a shaft e on which are keyed the sprocket wheels 6 and 6 located directly below the sprocket wheels d and d respectively. An endless chain f passes over the sprocket wheels e and d and a second endless chain 65 f passes over the sprocket wheels 6 and (Z Extending between and carried by said two chains is a series of transverse shafts g each of which at one end thereof is provided with fiat faces 9 to receive a crank handle or other device by which the shafts can be rotated.

Any suitable form of gearing may be provided to rotate the transverse shaft d with sprocket wheels thereon whereby any selected shaft 9 can be brought into a position convenient for the display of the roll wound thereon or for the purpose of coiling thereon or uncoiling therefrom a carpet, strip of linoleum or the like.

Such gearing may be driven manually or by a motor and in the latter case provision may be made whereby the gearing can be manually operated.

In the machine illustrated an electric motor is provided to drive the gearing but it may also be driven manually. To simplify explanation the manual operation of the machine will first be described.

Supported by a bracket h projecting from the upright a is a bearing h carrying a spindle it having flat faces at its ends to receive an operating crank handle. Fast on said spindle is a sprocket wheel 71 which is geared by means of a chain drive h with a second sprocket wheel h fast on a spindle h mounted in bearings h, h on the uprights a and (1 Fast on spindle h is a second sprocket wheel h which wheel is geared by means of a chain drive it to a sprocket wheel h fast on a spindle it supported in bearings h", h on the uprights a, a'. The spindle h drives spur wheel it fast on shaft d through an automatic control device designated generally by A Figure 1 and illustrated in' detail n Figures 5, 7, 8 and 9, the operation of which will be hereafter described in detail.

Thus it will be apparent that by rotating the spindle h by means of a crank handle the shaft (1 and the sprocket wheels fast thereon can be rotated and the transverse shafts g with rolls thereon raised and lowered as desired.

Where an electric motor is employed to effect such movements I provide means whereby the motor can be coupled to rotate any selected sh aft and also coupled to operate the raising and lowering gear as desired.

In the arrangement illustrated a motor 2' drives through sprocket wheel z" and chain 2' a sprocket wheel i fast on a spindle z" mounted in a bearing carried by a rearwardly extending strut 1?. Also fast on spindle i is a small pinion 1'. which transmits its drive through a chain a" to a pinion i fast on a spindle i carried by a bearing '17" supported by the strut i Also fast on this spindle 13 is a 1:35 small sprocket wheel j which, through chain j, drives a sprocket wheel j fast on spindle i journalled in bearings y" 7" carried by the uprights a, a

A gear case is of somewhat rectangular fortion indicated in chain dotted lines.

" or shafts at the front of the machine.

mation is pivotally mounted atone end thereof on said spindle 9' Extending through the other end of said gear-case is a spindle 7 on which is mounted at one end thereof a second and similar gear case 731 through the other end of which projects a spindle Z2 lVithin gear case is and mounted on the spindles'j and i are two sprocket wheels i and j respectively, a chain j passing over said wheels. Located within the gear case k and mounted on the spindles y and k are two gear wheels 7' and j respectively, a chain j passing over said wheels.

The motor therefore drives the spindle k and by reason of the articulate movement permitted by the pivotally mounted gear cases said spindle can be brought into alignment with the spindle if or the end of any of the shafts g which are brought into its proximity.

' The means whereby spindle 70 can be coupled to the shafts g is shown in Figure 3. Carried by said spindle is a sleeveZ slotted lon itudinally at Z A pin Z carried by the spindle projects into said slot so that the sleeve is capable of a longitudinal sliding movement on the spindle but incapable of a relative rotary movement. Said sleeve is provided internally with flat faces as at Z to receive the ends of the shafts A second sleeve Z encloses the sleeve Z and is provided with an internal collar Z secured therein by a screw Z and which is arranged to bear against the end ofthe sleeve Z. Sleeve Z does not rotate so that, when the spindle is being driven, said sleeve can be gripped by the hand and moved into alignment with the end of the shaft 9 to be rotated, said sleeve together with sleeve Z being then moved into the posi- Thus sleeve Z receives the end of shaft 9 which is consequently rotated so as to wind a roll of material thereon. It willbe understood that the material is unwound by seizing the free 3 end of the roll and pulling same, the shaft rotating idly.

In like manner the spindle is" can be rought into alignment with and coupled to the spindle b so as to raise, or lower, the rolls In order that the rolls or shafts may be raised, or lowered as desired when using a. unidirectional motor, I provide a pair of intermeshing gear wheels m and m the former being fast on the spindle h and the latter fast on a spindle m the end of which is provided with flat faces to receive the sleeve Z. Thus according to the direction in which the shaft (Z is to be rotated the spindle k is coupled either to spindle k to drive same directly or alternatively coupled to spindle m to drive spindle 7L indirectly through the said intermeshing gear wheels. The gear cases are counterbalanced by a weight 3' to facilitate their manipulation. The pinionwheel 91 is clutched to the motor by the operation of a treadle 2'1 From the. foregoing description it will be appreciated that the machine can be operated either by hand or by a motor so as to bring any selected shaft with roll thereon into any desired position for the display of the roll and that the roll can be unrolled and rerolled when in such position.

In like manner other rolls can be brought into position for inspection and if desired, a number of rolls may be simultaneously inspected and compared.

It will be apparent that it will seldom be the case that the weight of the rolls on each side of the machine is substantially the same, and consequently it is necessary to provide means to retain the shafts g with rolls thereon at any desired position.

In the drawings only one roll is shown and consequently there is a tendency for said roll to assume the lowest position under the action of gravity. Further should said roll be raised until it passes over the dead centre at the top of the machine, it will again tend to drive the transmission gear and descend under the gravity to its bottom position.

The improved control device incorporated in the transmission gear is illustrated in Figures 5, 7, 8 and 9 whereon it is the spindle on which the sprocket wheel it is keyed. Said. spindle is provided with a screw thread m on which is threaded an internally threaded broad pinion wheel m in mesh with the spur wheel 71. fast on the shaft (Z.

Also mounted on spindle 72, are two ratchet wheels n, 21), one on each side of the broad pinion m pawls n and n engaging with said two ratchet wheels respectively.

The pawls are pivotally supported on a short spindle mt supported in bearings carried by a U shape bracket m The teeth of said ratchet wheels are set in opposite directions, that is, one of the ratchet wheels can over-ride its pawl in a clockwise direction and the other in an anticlockwise direction.

On the spindle 7t and on the outer sides of the ratchet wheels are threaded the nuts p, p which are locked on the spindle by any suitable means such as by transverse pins.

On the outer face of each ratchet wheel is a leather or like washer Q Q while on the inner face is a brass or like washer g 9 In describing the operation of this control device it will first beassumed that the roll shown in Figures 1 and 2' is being raised.

To effect this movement spindle k is rotated either manually or by the motor to drive through the intermediate gearing the spindle 7r in a clockwise direction, looking from the left.

By reason of the load being raised the broad pinion wheel m will not immediately rotate, but, on the contrary, travels longitudinally to the right on the screw threaded spindle h until the ratchet wheel n is tight- 1 gripped between the said pinion wheel and the nut on the side thereof. The longitudinally movement of the'pin'ion being arrested it must then rotate together with the ratchet wheel n and transmit its movement to spur wheel k, the teeth of the said ratchet wheel being such that it over-rides its pawl. The shaft d with sprocket wheel (l and (l thereon is rotated and the roll raised. Meantime ratchet wheel n is free on spindle h.

Should the rotation of the spindle h be stopped before the roll reaches the top of the machine there will be a tendency for the roll to fall to its lowest position, and to rotate the gear in the reverse directicn. But, as stated, ratchet wheel n is fixed to the spindle h and as the pawl n is in engagement therewith, the roll cannot drive the gearing in the reverse direction. Consequently should the drive be stopped at any point in the vertical travel of the roll it is automatically prevented from descending under the action of gravity.

Should, however, it be desired to lower the roll the drive of the spindle h is reversed and spindle h rotated in an anti-clockwise direction so that the broad pinion m? is moved to the left.

Ratchet wheel 41 is therefore no longer clutched to spindle h which can then rotate under the control of the operator. Should the rotation of the spindle it stop or should the roll commence to travel downwards at a greater speed than that permitted by the rotation of said spindle the pinion will be rotated relative to its spindle in an anticlockwise direction so that the ratchet wheel a is again clutched to its spindle and by reason of the co-operating pawl the rotation of ratchet wheel n is stopped and the down movement of the roll is arrested.

Consequently the roll can be lowered under complete control of the operator and this -without any great manual effort on his part.

The action of the device so far described will be the same in all cases where the load or weight of rolls is greater at the front of the machine than at the rear thereof.

The action of the device when the roll gets past the dead centre of the machine and commences to descend on the rear of the machine or where the load is greater at the rear than at the front of the machine Will now be considered.

Immediately the roll passes the dead centre it will drive the broad pinion in a clockwise direction and this has the effect of moving pinion m to the left and clutching ratchet wheel n. But pawl n is in engagement with said ratchet wheel so that the gear is brought to rest. On rotation of the crank shaft to lower the roll at the rear of the machine the s indle h is rotated in a clockwise direction tiius moving pinion wheel m to the right so that ratchet wheel n is freed. The spindle It with pinion wheel can then rotate under the action of the drive imparted thereto by an anti-clockwise direction, and the pinion wheel m movedto the left to clutch the ratchet wheel n which then over-rides its pawl and rotates with the pinion wheel. When.

the power is withdrawn from spindle h the pawl n by engaging with the ratchet wheel n, prevents the downward movement of the roll.

The second described series of operations is the same in all cases where the greater weight of rolls is at the rear of the machine.

It may happen that on occasion the pinion m does not travel axially with sufficient speed to enable the device to operate efficiently under all conditions. For example when a heavy roll is being raised at the front of the machine the inion wheel may clutch ratchet wheel n so tightly that when the roll passes over the dead centre and commences todrive the pinion wheel m, the pinion, which by reason of its frictional grip of the pinion a, may not travel axially to the left on the spindle h to clutch the ratchet wheel n. Consequently the roll may descend out of control.

T o guard against such contingencya release or brake device is provided.

Said device comprises two complementary bosses 1- and r see Figures 5, 6 and 7, the former, hereafter referred to as the drivin member, being secured to the sprocket whesil h and the latter, hereafter referred to as the driven member provided with an enlarged head 1 havin a leather or like face 1' ar= ranged to make frictional contact with the outer end of the bearing it. Both driving and driven members are keyed on the spindle h but the keyway provided in the driving member is somewhat larger than the key, as shown at T, Figure 6, thereby permitting of a very slight rotary movement of said member on its spindle. The end of the driving member is provided with two recesses 1', r having oppositely inclined faces while the driven member on its opposed end is correspondingly formed so that the opposed ends interfit.

A helical compression spring r encircling the end of the spindle it normally tends to hold the leather or like face r in frictional contact with the end of the bearing and thereby prevent rotation of the spindlc'm.

One power being transmitted to rotate the s indle h either manually or by the motor,

t e sprocket wheel h first partakes of a restricted rotary movement in consequence of the broad keyway and by reason of the formation of the interfitting opposed faces of the driving and driven members the latter is forced outwards so that the leather or like face no longer makes frictional contact with the end of the bearing.

The said members then rotate with the sprocket wheel. Immediately the load takes charge, as would occur for instance when a heavy load commences to descend at the other side of the machine, spindle h is driven and the slight relative rotary movement on its spindle permits of said two opposed faces to come closely togeth r under the action of the spring r thereby forcing the leather or like washer r into frictional contact with the end of the bearing. The rotation of spindle h is thus momentarily stopped, and the broad pinion wheel m driven by the load through spur wheel h is caused to travel axially on the said spindle and thereby release the ratchet wheel formerly gripped thereby and engage the other ratchet wheel. The control device then functions as described.

lVhen a roll of material is partly unwound when supported in a shaft g there is a tendency for the material to be still further unwound under the action of the weight of the unrolled portion.

To prevent this I provide a spring influenced pawl s pivoted at s and adapted to engage with a series of notches s in the end of the shaft, see Figures 10 and 11. When released, said pawls act instantaneously to positively prevent rotation of the corresponding shafts, thereby preventing the roll thereon from being further unrolled but permitting the shaft to be rotated to coil the roll thereon.

When the pawls are held in their inoperative position the rolls can be unrolled as desired.

To secure the end of a carpet to one of the shafts g, I prefer to provide the latter with a series of spikes to engage with the end of the carpet.

Such spikes are formed at one end of a spring clip t, which more than half encircles its shaft, see Figures 12 and 13, the other end thereof being turned inwardly as at t to project into holes i provided therefor in the shafts.

Alternatively the shaft may have permanently secured thereto a strip of canvas or fabric u, see Figure let, having several series of projecting pins or clips a on which the carpet or the like may be fixed. Said strip may be of considerable length, and a number of carpets, rugs or the like may be secured thereon.

In the machine illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the shafts g are intended to be permanently secured to the chains but they may be removable so that more or less shafts at a less or greater distance apart may be introduced. A convenient arrangement of fixing the shafts to the chain is shown in Figures 3 and 4. The left hand end of the shaft is provided with a plug w having internal flat faces as at w A pin passing through the shaft and plug retains the latter in position. A spindle 20 having flat faces at each end thereof is inserted through the hollow rivets of the chain and through the plug until it bears against said transverse pin.

This spindle thereby forms a combination of the shaft 9 and it is with the outer end thereof that the sleeve Z engages.

The other end of the shaft has a plug to inserted therein and a pin 10 carried by the plug projects through ahollow rivet of the chain. A transverse pin w retains the plugs wt and the pin w in position within the end of the shaft.

Such construction permits of a shaft being quickly freed from the chains and reintroduced where desired. Alternatively the shafts may be carried in bearings so constructed, that they, the shafts, can be readily withdrawn therefrom.

This is more particularly desirable when handling, storing and displaying rolls of linoleum.

Such rolls are usually supplied wound on a wooden core which it is first necessary to remove, a shaft being then inserted in the core of the roll and secured centrally within same.

It is then necessary to secure the shaft tightly and centrally within the roll.

A convenient means of efi'ecting this is shown in Figures 15 and 16 wherein the shaft is hollow and provided with a niunber of slits through which project the webs 'w on the underside of gripping plates Q01.

Said webs project into slots 11) provided in a rod w, the contour of the webs and slots being such that when the rod is moved longitudinally relatively to the shaft, which may be done by a screw bolt w threaded into the rod, the webs and therefore the gripping plates are faced outwards to grip the roll. The gripping devices are arranged in staggered formation round the shaft.

A suitable construction of bearing for carrying shafts which can be removed therefrom and subsequently replaced with roll thereon is illustrated in Figures 17' and 18.

At regular intervals apart each of the two chains f and f are provided with bearings formed of two sections o and o the sections '0 being secured to the links of the chains while the sections a are pivotally secured to the fixed section as at '0 The pivoted section is in the form of an armwith a hook like extremity and is provided with a rearward or downward extension 41 A screw bolt 4) is provided to secure each pivoted or hinged section to the fixed section in its closed position.

When it is desired to mount a shaft with roll thereon in said bearings, the pivoted or hinged sections or arms '0 of the lowest pair of bearings are freed so that they drop downwards and the shaft with roll is so deposited at the foot of the machine that when the transmission gear is operated said sections 2; engage with the projecting ends of the shaft. As the bearings commence to rise the said extensions 4) engage with the sprocket wheels (1 and e or the chains thereby tiltting the hinged sections upwards and thus causing the shaft to roll down into the half bearing formed by the fixed section 0.

The rotation of the sprocket wheels is then stopped to permit the pivoted sections being turned to the closed position and retained therein by means of screw bolts 0) so as to ensure the shafts in position. In like manner further shafts with rolls thereon are securedin the other bearings but it is advisable to first raise the first roll to the top of the machine so that said roll, when descending on the other side, counterbalances the next roll'secured to the foot bearing, further rolls being added at such intervals as will secure, as far as possible, a balanced effect.

The shafts are preferably provided with small flanges 'v" at one or both ends thereof, said flanges engaging the side of the bearing and preventing end movement of the rolls.

In place of providing the gearing with jointed gear cases as described and illustrated an other type of flexible drive may be provi ed.

What I claim is:

L'A machine for the pu ose set forth comprising two endless parallel chains, an upper and a lower pair of sprocket wheels, each of said endless chains passing over an upper sprocket wheel and under the lower corresponding sprocket wheel, a series of horizontally extending transverse shafts supported at the two ends thereof by the two chains, gearing to drive the chains with shafts carried thereby, means to rotate the shafts in their bearings, means to secure an inner coil of a roll to the shafts and a loaded pawl or finger for each shaft, which pawl or finger when held in an inoperative position permits its shaft to be rotated to unwind the roll thereon and when released instantaneously operates to prevent further unwinding of the roll. 1

2. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising two endless parallel chains, an upper and a lower pair of sprocket wheels,

each of said endless chains passing over an upper sprocketwheel and under the lower corresponding sprocket wheel, a series of horizontally extending transverse shafts supported at the two ends thereof by the two chains, gearing to drive the chains with shafts carried thereby, means to rotate the shafts in their bearings, means by which the ends of the rolls can be secured to said shafts comprising a series of wire clips, each clip more than half encircling its shaft and having one end thereof bent inwardly to engage in a corresponding hole in the shaft and the other end bent outwardly to form a spike, and means to instantaneously and positlvely prevent rotation of the shafts when a roll carried thereby is partly nnrolled.

3. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising two endless parallel chains, an upper and a lower pair of sprocket wheels, each of said endless chains passing over an upper sprocket wheel and under the lower corresponding sprocket wheel, a series of horizontally extending transverse shafts supported at the two ends thereof by the two chains, gearing to drive the chains with shafts carried thereby, an automatically acting control device incorporated in said gearing, said device comprising a driving member. a driven member and two ratchet wheels with oppositely set teeth and co-operating pawls, the combination being such that when the driven member is rotated against a load in either direction one of said ratchet wheels is clutched and rotates with the driven member, the corresponding pawl preventing its rotation in the reverse direction under the action of the load until the direction of rotation of the driven member is reversed to permit of such movement, and should the load take charge of the driven member so as to rotate same in the original direction the other ratchet wheel becomes clutched to the driven member, the co-operating pawl then preventing further rotation of the driven member until the driving member is rotated to free the ratchet wheel and permit the driven member to rotate under the control of the driving member, means to rotate the shafts in their bearings, means to secure an inner coil of a roll to the shafts and means to prevent rotation of the shafts when a roll carried thereby is partly nnrolled.

4. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising two endless parallel chains, an upper and a lower pair of sprocket wheels, each of said endless chains passing over an upper sprocket wheel, and under the corresponding lower wheel, a series of horizontal ly extending transverse shafts supported at the two ends thereof by the two chains, gearing to drive the chains with shafts carried thereby, an automatically acting control device incorporated in said gearing said device comprising a driving member having a screw thread, a driven member internally threaded to engage with said thread and to travel axially thereon, a pair of ratchet wheels, one at each side of the driven member, and. with either of which the driven member is arranged to engage frictionally when moved axially, said ratchet wheels having oppositely set teeth, and pawls to engage with said ratchet wheels, means to rotate the shafts in their bearings, means to secure an inner coil of a roll to the shafts and means to prevent rotation of the shafts when a roll carried thereby is partly unrolled.

5. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising two endless parallel chains, an upper and a lower pair of sprocket wheels, each of said endless chains passing over an upper sprocket wheel, and under a corresponding lower sprocket wheel, a series of horizontally extending transverse shafts supported the two ends thereof by the two chains, gearing to drive the chains with shafts carried thereby, an automatically acting control device incorporated in said gearing, said device comprising a driving member having a screw thread, a driven member internally threaded to engage with said thread and to travel axially thereon, a pair of ratchet wheels, one at each side of the driven member and with either of which the driven member is arranged to engage frictionally when moved axially, said ratchet wheels having oppositely set teeth, pawls to engage with said ratchet wheels, a clutch device arranged to be released when the driving member is rotating under control of the operator and to automatically momentarily hold the screw threaded spindle when said member commences to be driven by the load.

6. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising two endless parallel chains, an upper and a lower pair of sprocket wheels, each of said endless chains passing over an upper sprocket wheel, and under a corresponding lower sprocket wheel, a series of horizontally extending transverse shafts supported at the two ends thereof by the two chains, gearing to drive the chains with shafts carried thereby, an automatically acting control device incorporated in said gearing, said device comprising a driving member having a screw thread, a driven member internally threaded to engage with said thread and to travel axially thereon, a pair of ratchet wheels, one at each side of the driven member, and with either of which the driven member is arranged to engage frictionally when moved axially, said ratchet wheels having oppositely set teeth, pawls to engage with said ratchet wheels, an automatically acting release device comprising a spring loaded clutch member, cam means by which the clutch memb is disengaged against the action of a spring when the driving member is rotated under control of the operator and which, when the driving member is rotated by the load, automatically operates to momentarily stop rotation of the spindle so that the driving member mounted thereon is positively moved axially.

7 A machine for the purpose set forth comprising two endless parallel chains, an upper and a lower pair of sprocket wheels, each of said endless chains passing over an upper sprocket wheel and under the lower corresponding sprocket wheel, a series of horizontally extendingtransverse shafts supported at the two ends thereof by the two chains, gearing to drive the chains with shafts carried thereby, means to rotate the shafts in their bearings, at least one of said shafts having secured thereto flexible means provided with pins at distances apart throughout the length thereof and to which a series of length of carpets or the like can be fixed, means to secure an inner coil of a roll to the other shafts and means to prevent rotation of the shafts under the action of a partly unwound roll mounted thereon.

8. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising two endless parallel chains, an upper and a lower pair of sprocket wheels, each of said endless chains passing over an upper sprocket wheel and under the lower corresponding sprocket wheel, a series of horizontally extending transverse shafts, bearings formed in sections carried by the chains to support said shafts, one of the sections of each bearing being secured to its chain and the other section hinged or pivoted and provided with an extension having a hooked extremity and a rearward extension carried thereby, means to rotate the shafts in their bearings, means to secure an inner coil of a roll to the shafts and means to prevent rotation of the shafts when a roll carried thereby is partly unrolled.

9. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising two endless parallel chains, an upper and a lower pair of sprocket wheels, each of said endless chains passing over an upper sprocketwheel and under the lower corresponding sprocket wheel, a series of horizontally extending transverse shafts supported at the two ends thereof by the two chains, gearing to drive the chains with shafts, an electric motor to drive the chains with shafts carried thereby, a plurality of interconnected pivotally mounted gears also driven by said motor and by which the shafts can be rotated, means to secure an inner coil of a roll to the shafts and means to prevent rotation of the shafts under the action of partly unrolled rolls mounted thereon.

1-0. A machine for the purpose set forth comprising two endless parallel chains, an upper and a lower pair of sprocket wheels, each of said endless chains passing over an upper sprocket wheel and under the lower corresponding sprocket wheel, a series of horizontally extending transverse shafts sup ported at the two ends thereof by the two chains, gearing to drive the chains with shafts, an electric motor to drive the chains with shafts carried thereby, gearing to rotate said shafts in their bearings said gearing including a plurality of interconnected pivotally mounted gears, a pindle driven by said gears and a sliding sleeve carried by said spindle and byflwhich the latter can be con-2 nected to rotate the shafts and to drive the chains. 1

i HENRY ELLIOTT. 

